Denmark must cut emissions 70 % by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050; that is impossible without largescale carbon removal. We hypothesise that fully-electric, membrane-based direct air capture (DAC) can deliver certified negative emissions faster and with far less energy than heatdriven solvent- or sorbent systems.
We will build and run the country’s first electro-DAC pilot at DTU. In 2026 we commission a containerised skid capturing 1-2 t CO2 with RepAir’s membrane stack. DTU Energy retrofits porous electrodes to push energy below 0.5 MWh and enable flexible operation that soaks up surplus wind power. GEUS provides continuous gas analytics and reservoir modelling to prove storage compatibility with Stenlille, Hashøj and Greensand. DTU Management models the integration of DAC in future energy systems, the value of flexible operation of DAC and CO2-network layouts and CO2Laborate translate pilot KPIs into national cost curves and siting maps, while By Nature hosts citizen panels to secure social licence.
By 2028 the project will have: 1) A TRL 7 electro-DAC plant logging > 4 000 full-load hours, accelerating the Innomission road map, with two years; 2) Denmark’s first high-resolution performance dataset for DAC in Nordic weather; 3) Verified CO2-purity dossiers plus an MRV template aligned with the EU Carbon-Removal Certification Framework; 4) An open-source cost model for scaling to 10 kt yr?¹ clusters; 5) A public-engagement playbook and policy brief clearing regulatory pathways. With grid intensity projected below a 20 g CO2 kWh?¹ threshold, the pilot will deliver > 99 % net-removal efficiency and pave the way for at least 0.5 Mt yr?¹ Danish removals by 2035. The modular, factory -build approach creates green jobs and an exportable solution for hard-to-abate emissions worldwide, turning the INNO-CCUS roadmap from ambition into action.
